Improvement in machine for plashing hedges



inspiran STATES PATENTOFFIGE.

' havn) conn, or oAnLINviLLE, iLLiNois.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR PLSHING HEDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,620, dated lune 22,1869.

To all whom 'it'may concern: Be it known that I, DAVID GURI-1, of ,Garlinvilie, in the vcounty of` Macoupin and State of Illinois, have made certain new and useful Improvemcuts in Machines for Flashing Hedges and similar purposes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull and true description thereof, reference being had to the accompa- -nyiug drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines for bending down, binding, and. interweaving the branches and stalks of hedge-plants, so as to forni a more coherent and solid growth. In the usual'modes of plasbing, after the hedgeplants have been cut, the operator bends .the stalks by hand and interlocks the branches. By the operation oi' my said machines the work aforesaid is accomplished in an improved manner, and in less time than hitherto.

To accomplish the said object, the nature of this invention is in. the application of two or more rollers, placed at unequal heights from the ground, which are moved over the hedgegrowth to depress the same; and, secondly, in connection therewith, ot a number of inclined lateral rollers, which compress and laterally deflect the hedge-plants.

For the convenience -of use, I arrange my said plashing-machine upon an ordinary wagexi-frame, and as said machine projects laterdescribe the same, referring to the accompanying Figure 1 as a side elevation, to Fig. 2 as plan, and to Fig. 3 as a front view of th plasher detachedfrom the wagon.

As was before stated, I prefer-t0 arrange my said plashcr upon an ordinary wagons-- frame, A, and in order to properly support the plasher on said frame, I arrange the 1ongitndinal timbers B upon said frame A, se-

I curing,` the said timbers by bolts or by chains.

As the plasher-fraine-projccts laterally and acts to` overturn the ,frame A, I arrange the transverse timbers C C' upon the timbers B, connected to the same by proper bolts. A I con. neet said timbers C with the wagon-axle by the curved link c and chain c', and to make the.

connection firm a key is driven under said link c. Y

The forward timber, C, is arranged with hookbolts'd, upon which the chain d is'hung, pass ing under the wagon pole or tongue. By drawing up the nutsupon the bolts d their connection is made secure.

Upon the timbers B, and passing between the wheels of the wagon, I secure by bolts'the plasher-supporting beams D. lo these are connectedV the\ extension beams E by the hinge-bolts c. Said ,beams E support the plasherframe F, which is hung thereto.

In order that the plasher-i'rame F may be turned back to rest upon the wagon A, the beams E are pivoted at the bolt e, as aforesaid, and to give a proper support to the plasher a locking-bar, G, isarranged forking about the beams E and D. A stay-bolt, g, and pin g (or either thereof) hold said bar Grin its position, keeping the beams E and D in line; but on releasing the bolt g and with( drawing the pin g', the bar G being 'turned about the bolt g until its ends shall no longer lap upon the beams E, then the beams E and D are connected solely by said hinge-bolts c, and the plasher may be raised up and laid upon the frame A.

The plasher-frame F is inclined at au angle -of yabout thirty (30) degrees -to the horizon.

Said frame has at its front (or higher) end the roller H, and at its rear (or lower) end the roller I. Said rollers turn freely upon proper journals, and diminish in diameter toward the center, thus acting to crowd the plants o ver which they pass toward the middle of the plasher-frame. A strap, h, is arranged to conceal the ends of the roller II, and thus prevent the hedge-plants from becoming entan gled between the roller and its frame. Said strap h passes down toV be secured upon the guideprongsiKpwhich are connected to the frame F, and project forward, so as to guide the hedge-growth toward Jdie inner part of' the plasher.

At the sides of the frame'F, I further secure the supports L, which hold the lower bearings l for the lateral rollers M, the upper ends of beam E, into either of whichthe jonrnalshafts hedge-growth is passed between the -prongs said rollers being heldin the timber E. Said rollers M are cylindrical,andfturn'freely about their jo,urnals,in order that theymay. be placed at any proper 'angleof inclination'f.' 'j

A series; of holes,l e', will be made in the of said rollers may be placed.l Y .Y l In the application of my said machine, the

K as the wagonis drawn forward,and the rollers H dellect the plants, while the `lateral rollers M press the same toward the middleom "the hedge," untilthe last roller; `[,gives to the rollers placed at dil'erent heights, andcon nect'ed to a" proper fra1ne,which is moved over the hedge for depressing and interweaving the i plants, substantallyvas herein set forth',

2. The arrangement and use of two orinore inclined lateral rollers to laterally compress the hedge, operating in the stantially as setforth;

" 3; The guide-prong K,ro1ler H, rollers vframe F, substantially as and for thepurpose yset forth.A f

Vvand hmgeck to' the timbers D, to allowthe plasherframe to be turnedv back and'y rest uli-f on the wagon-frame, substantially as set forth.`

In testimony whereof Jl'have hereunto set 'my hand.1

DAVID GORE;

Witnesses :y V NIcHsDUB'QIs,

JOHN T. RoeERs.

plasher-frame, sub- Y if 'andfroller I, combined and operating in tlxi` fllhe fralnelikcennected te the; timbers 

